• EIT Logo
  • University of Turin logo

Understanding Mediterranean and Okinawa Diets

Learn the principles, science and health benefits of the Mediterranean and the Okinawa diets.

6,987 enrolled on this course

An table seen from above with healthy foods
  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Digital upgrade

    Free
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info
The CPD Certification Service

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.

Learn to make healthier diet choices by examining two different diets

Please note this course runs without facilitation

Your diet can make a big difference to your health. That’s why it’s so important to consider the value of different diets from around the globe.

On this course you will explore the science and benefits of two well-known diets: the Mediterranean and Okinawa diets. You will learn the main components of these diets and how to prepare simple recipes. You will also consider what makes these diets healthy, and how they affect the body.

Download video: standard or HD

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    What do we eat

    • Is your food healthy?

      Welcome to this course in which we will be dealing with food and health. You will be guided through this journey by experts and you will be invited to think about your habits and share your thoughts with other participants.

    • Why is diet important for your health?

      You might be familiar with the slogan “You are what you eat!”. However, does it really matter what and how you eat? Is the diet crucial for your health?

    • The Mediterranean (MED) food pyramid and scientific background

      We will present here the history of the Med diet, the Med food pyramid and the recommended frequency of food consumption.

    • The Okinawa diet: The food pyramid, scientific background and benefits for your health

      Like many other diets based on traditional or local eating patterns, the Okinawa diet recommends eating as much food as possible that is not subject to processing, thus avoiding processed food.

    • Week 1 reflection

      Reflection is an important part of learning, so, let's review what you've learned so far.

  • Week 2

    Diet and microbiota: health benefits

    • Diet and microbiota: fundaments

      Diet influences human microbiota and its functions and, in this way, it has an impact on human health.

    • The health benefits of the MED and Okinawa diets

      Find out what are the benefits, documented by rigorous scientific studies, of these two diets, which are very different from each other, but have many common characteristics, by being all healthy diets.

    • Components of MED and Okinawa diets: protein sources

      During this week you will find out what are the foods in these two diets which represent protein sources. Watch what protein sources, from legumes and other plant, are used in the MED diet.

    • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: fish, meat, poultry and dairy

      The goal of these videos is to improve your knowledge of protein foods and their role in a healthy diet. We will start introducing the common fishes of MED and Okinawa diet and then we will focus on three kinds of animal protein.

    • An easy-to-prepare recipe

      How is your cooking style?

    • Reflection

      Let’s take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned

  • Week 3

    Foods of MED and Okinawa diets: properties and benefits

    • Foods of the Okinawa diet: wakame and kombu seaweeds, tofu, shiitake mushrooms.

      Discover foods of the Okinawa diet and how to find European alternatives.

    • Components of MED and Okinawa diets: carbohydrate and fat sources.

      During this activity you will find out what are foods used in the MED and in the Okinawa diets as carbohydrate and fat sources.

    • Foods of the MED diet: olive oil.

      Properties and benefits of olive oil

    • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: fruit and vegetables

      This video aims to increase your knowledge of the fruit and vegetables. What is their role in MED diet? Also, you will learn about the nutritional properties and health benefits associated with this food group.

    • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: cereals and pseudocereals

      In this video, you will learn more about cereals and pseudocereals. After this lesson, you will be able to describe their role in MED and Okinawa diets.

    • Final assessment and 'take home message'

      What do you take with you at the end of this course? Check your knowledge and share your reflections with other learners.

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Summarise the characteristics and benefits of the Mediterranean and Okinawa diets
  • Describe how diet influences human microbiota and how this has an impact on human health
  • Evaluate the importance of healthy food frequency consumption
  • Explore the many kinds of healthy diets; their different food composition and cultural approaches.
  • Identify health-related properties of foods central to the two diets
  • Design at least one simple healthy recipe of one of the course diets

Who is the course for?

This course is for anyone interested in maintaining a healthy diet, you don’t need any previous experience. If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on this topic, you might also find of interest the following EIT Food courses on nutrition and health:

What do people say about this course?

I really enjoyed learning things I thought I knew

"My eyes are more open now. It was very good"

Who will you learn with?

MD with expertise in the care of the patients with metabolic diseases. My research area is relative to the role of food/nutrients on dysmetabolic diseases and the organization of lifestyle trials.

I’m a professor in food microbiology at the University of Torino, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences. My research focuses on food safety and microbial ecology of fermented foods.

Who developed the course?

EIT Food

EIT Food is Europe’s leading food initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted.

University of Turin

The University of Turin is one of the largest and most prestigious Italian universities, with about 70,000 students, 4,000 employees, and 1,800 research fellows, encompassing all academic sectors.

What's included?

EIT Food are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • Tests to validate your learning
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
  • Learning on FutureLearn

    Your learning, your rules

    • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
    • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
    • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

    Join a global classroom

    • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
    • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
    • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

    Map your progress

    • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
    • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
    • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

    Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

    Learner reviews

    Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

    Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

    You can use the hashtag #FLunderstandingdiets to talk about this course on social media.